The Greek words “cosmos” – the universe and “polites” – a citizen form the word “cosmopolitan”. Consequently, a cosmopolitan is a human of the world who does not recognize only one country as his homeland, but considers himself a citizen of the entire planet Earth.

Diogenes was the first to call himself that.

Then the Stoics created the idea of ​​a “cosmopolis” – a world state where all inhabitants are considered equal, regardless of position and origin.

And Kant believed that cosmopolitanism would help humanity forever abandon wars and achieve prosperity. He said that a person is free if he must obey not another person, but a law that is binding on everyone.

In the 18th century, cosmopolitans were people who are open to everything new, free from any prejudices, who love to travel and feel at home everywhere.

Famous cosmopolitans of the Enlightenment were Thomas Jefferson, Denis Diderot and Voltaire.

In the 20th century, international organizations were created that embodied the ideas of cosmopolitanism:

1. League of Nations, established in 1919. Engaged in conflict resolution, collective security and improving the quality of life in the world. Existed until 1946.
2. World Non-National Association (SAT), established in 1921. Its ideology was to unite all nations around a single language – Esperanto.
3. The United Nations, which was created after the Second World War and is still active. In 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted. It recognizes the inalienable rights of any inhabitant of the Earth, regardless of his national, religious, cultural or other affiliation.

Who is a cosmopolitan in the 21st century?

A modern cosmopolitan is a person who does not have cultural and racial prejudices, travels a lot, develops business at the international level, considers the freedom and equality of all people on planet Earth to be the highest values.

Cosmopolitan stands for the reliability and availability of information.

He seeks to help others, loves to learn about other cultures.

Cosmopolitan works for the benefit of all mankind, and not just an individual state.

Since 1953, you can buy a passport of a citizen of the world. Now it has rather a symbolic meaning and gives the right to visa-free entry to 6 countries: Ecuador, Tanzania, Mauritania, Zambia, Burkina Faso and Togo. To travel to other countries, you will need a visa or a second citizenship.

There are many famous people among the cosmopolitans, such as Barack Obama, Oprah Winfrey, Edward Snowden and Patrick Stewart.